Waterproof fabric and process of making same



E, H. ENOS. WATERPROOF FABRIC AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3, 1920.

Patented Mar. 7, 1922.

TUBE OF M 3 MM m KE w M WW4? 1221007 3 1 m as produced PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD H. ENOS, SALI'JQMI,- MASSACHUSETTS.

WATERPROOF FABRIC AND PROCESS OF IAKING SAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. '7, 1922."

Application filed February a, 1920. Serial No. 355,982.

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. ENOs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salem, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Waterproof Fabrics and Processes of Making Same, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a sheet material, capable of a vanety of uses, such as a substitute for leather, artificial leather, felt or the like, in the manufacture of automobile upholstery, or in the manufacture of shoes, hats, upholstery. and for other purposes.

' It is naturally desirable that such material should be durable and that it should be, water-repellent or. waterproof, that it should be flexibleand capable of acertain degree of stretching without cracking, and should possess a pleasing appearance. The

material, which I shall hereinafter describe,

possesses these optimum characteristics and is capable of being produced in various colors, shades or tints. v The drawing shows conventionally a material embodying my invention.

In the production of the said material,;1 preferably proceed as follows. A suitable fibrous foundation, preferably ofsome relatively. strong textile, such as cotton sheeting, drill or duck, indicated at a on the drawing, is dried to sufliciently remove any moisture therein contained, such drying, however, being accomplished at a degree of heat which will not injure the fibers. In lieu of a textile fabric, a felted sheet may, if desired, be employed. Upon this foundation so afforded there is spread an ad hesive layer 6 which consists essentially of very short fiber cotton, wool flock, or'other short fibers, in thorough admixture with a water-resistant binder, such mixture being sufficiently ,fluidor plastic so that it is capable of being spread by any suitable instrumentalities upon the surface of the. foundation.

For example, in preparing this layer, I may use a rubber cement such b dissolving the pure rubber in naphtha (bailed spreading cement), but it is evident that any other bindlng material may be utilized vin ,lieu thereof. The flock or flock-like material is preferably dried before their. introduction into the liquid binder, and the two are so thoroughly mixed that practically minute 'mitted to cool and set.

-der of the exterior.

fiber is coated and more or less impregnated with the waterproofing. compound. The mixture may be in the proportion of onepound of flock to one gallon of cement. The mixture thus provided is spread, as. stated, upon the foundation to form a layer of the desired thickness, the binder permeating the fibers and interstices of the foundation and affording an intimate interlocking of the layer therewith. While the layer is still more or less plastic or sticky,

I form thereon an exterior coating 0 of fine flock, which may be accomplished by meansz of ablowin apparatus or other suitable instrumentality, this being accomplished in such manner that the entire surface of the layer is coated or faced with an adherent exterior layer of the flock. When a binder containing a volatile solvent is employed,

the material may be subjected to heat in order to drive off the solvent, or, if the binder is in a fluid or plastic condition because of a treatment with heat, it is per- .The flock, which is utilized for the exterior covering or coating, may be dyed to any desired shade, tint or color previous to its application to the adhesive layer. In fact, all of the flock or short fibers which 35 are. intermixed with the binder and the binder itself may bedyed or colored if desired, so that, in the event of the exterior coating becoming worn off after prolonged use, the flock or other short fibers in the intermediate 'layer which is exposed will present the sameappearance as the remain- In appearance the finished product looks something like a very fine finished woolen 5 fabric. It may be used, as stated, as a covering for upholstery and in manufacturing various articles heretofore made of leather or imitation leather, as well as for such other purposes as hereinbefore referred to. In some cases, I may omit the exterior facing of the flock and subject the coated foundation to the action of the dies or othe instrumentalities to 've it an embossed appearance,'although or some uses it is even unnecessary to emboss it. V

The fabric, with 'or without the exterior flock facing, is flexible, capable of being stretched to some extent without cracking,

is water-repellent, and is capable of many uses in the arts.

I do not desire to limit myself to any particular form of binder provided it serves the purposes which I have herein described, as it is quite apparent that other forms of Water-repellent adhesives may be employed in lieu of that described.

If desired, the initial layer, consisting of the mixture of the short fibers and the binder, may be permitted to dry or set, and then a very thin coating of the binder applied to the surface thereof before the final application of the fiock.- The latter, as stated, should be in a drycondition so tha it will readily adhere to the surface of the coated foundation, and present, as stated, the appearance of fine Woolen fabric. The coated and flock-surfaced fabric may, if desired, be passed through calender rolls. Of course, it will be understood that the foundation may be treated on both faces or onl on one face as hereinbefore described.

hat I claim is 1. A fiexi'ble sheet material comprising a suitable foundation, 9, layer thereon consisting of a mixture of flock and a water-- repellent binder, and a facin of flock adherent on thesurface of said layer.

2. A sheet material comprising a fibrous foundation, a relatively thick layer thereon consisting of flock and a water-repellent binder, said binder binding the flock or other short fibers together in a mass and permeating said fibrous foundation and locking the mass of flock thereto, and an exterior facing of flock entirely covering fabric oundatlon, while said layer is still plastic and adhesive, coating the same with flock, and finally permitting the binder to set substantially as set forth.

in testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

' EDWARD H. ENOS. 

